Rail joint and chair.



F. B. HULT.

RAIL JOINT AND CHAIR.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 28, 1013.

1,099,302. Patented June 9,1914.

FRED E. HULT, OFJ'AMIESTOWN, NEW YORK.

RAIL JOINT AND CHAIR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 28, 1913.

Patented June 9, 1914.

Serial N 0. 770,454.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRED E. I-lUL'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jamestown, in the county of Chautauqua, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail Joints and Chairs; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable, others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to rail joints, and it more particularly relates to an improved rail end fastener.

An object of the invention is to provide a rail joint of this character whereby the use of bolts and nuts is entirely dispensed with.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rail joint of this character which is more easily applied than other well-known devices intended for this purpose.

Another object is to provide a rail end fastener which also constitutes a rail chair.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be made entirely from sheet metal, by the ordinary and comparatively inexpensive methods of shearing, punching and bending sheet metal.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which is comparatively inexpensive and thoroughly efficient.

Other objects and advantages may be recited hereinafter and in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which supplement this specification: Figure 1 is a side elevation view of two contiguous rail ends with my improved rail end fastener and chair applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, as seen from the opposite side. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the fastener members, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the base plates.

Referring to these drawings, in which similar reference characters correspond with similar parts, throughout the several views, the rail ends 10 are each formed with a series of longitudinal slots or apertures 11, the opposite ends of each rail being of similar construction- The apertures 11 are arranged on a common plane, and may be located at any desired elevation within the rail web.

The rail end fastener comprises two fastener members 12 and 13 respectively and two base plates 14, the latter being preferably of similar and interchangeable con.- struction.

The fastener member 12 comprises a base flange 15, an inclined side plate 16, apertured or slotted tongues or horizontal extensions 17, and vertical extensions or tongues 18 and 19.

The member 13 comprises a base flange 20, and an inclined plate 21, this plate 21 being provided with arms or upward extensions 22, each having its free end folded upon itself at 23 and terminating in a vertical and depending end 2 1.

Each base plate l l comprises a horizontal base portion 25 having two opposite edges curved upward and inward to form inclined lateral. flanges 26, each said flange being apertured at 27 for the reception of railroad spikes. Each plate 14 is also provided with laterally extending tongues 28, one at each of its corners. The flanges 26 of each base plate are slightly convergent, so that the space between said flanges is greater at one end than at the other.

In assembling the several members of the rail end fastener, with the contiguous rail ends, the base plates or shoes 14: are firs placed on the base flanges of the respective rails, with the flanges 26 diverging toward the respective rail ends, the space between said base plates being greater than the length of the fastener members 12 and 13, so that these members may be passed between Said base plates, with the base flanges 15 and 20 fitted snugly under the base flanges of the rails 10, while the tongues 17 extend through the apertures or slots 11, and

the angularlybent end portions 23 extend springy so that when the angular end por tions 23 are forced into the respective slot 17, the depending elements 2%. press against the rail Web, while the opposite portions of the elements 22 press against the respective tongues 17, so as to draw the flanges or extensions 18 and 19 snugly against the side of the rail web opposite to the extensions The several members of the rail end fastener now being in assembled position, spikes of ordinary construction are driven into the ties contiguous to the tongues 28, or within the apertures 27 or both, to prevent relative longitudinal movement of the base plates and members 12 and 13, said members being provided with notches l2 into which the spikes extend.

It will be seen that I have provided a rail joint of this character, which is fully capable of attaining the foregoing objects, in a thoroughly practical and efficient manner.

' I do not limit my invention to the exact details of, construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as herewith illustrated and described, but my invention may only be limited by a reasonable interpretation of the claims V I claim v a 1. A combined rail end fastener and chair consistingof two base platesv each having opposite upwardly and inwardly inclined flanges, a fastenermember comprising a base plate and an upwardly and inwardly I inchned plate having apertured horizontal extensions adapted to be extended through an apertu'red rail web, a second fastener mem-' bercomprrsmg a base plate and an upi V wardly and inwardly inclined plate, the last said plate having arms with their free end portionsbent downward to form depending vertical elements which are adapted to be seated against the rail web while extending through said. apertured tonguesand coacting therewith and with the adjacent portion of said arms and with thesaid base plates, for tightly clamping the base flange and web of a railroad rail.

2.111 combination with two contiguous longitudinally slotted rail ends, a sheet metal member formed with a base flange and an 1 upwardly and inwardly inclined plate adaptedvto fit snugly and extend over the base flange of the rail, said upwardly and inwardly inclined plate being provided with slotted tongues which extend through the respective slots of the rail web, a second sheetmetal member formed with a base flange and an upwardly inclined plate fitted under and extending over said base flangeand having arms extending through the respective slots of said tongue, and a pair ofv base plates each provided with upwardly and inwardly extending flanges engaging with thefirst said and second said upwardly and inwardlyinclined plates,- for binding; the latter snugly against the rail flanges.

3. In combinationwith two adjacentrail ends having apertured webs and having base flanges, of a fastener member comprisinga sheet of metal formed'with a base flange and with apertured tongues,-a second plate. of sheet metal formed with a base flange and with elements extending through the apertures of the tongues, a base plate having means thereon for engaging the first said plate and the second said. plate and binding the base flanges thereof tightly against the base flange of the rail,rand means for securing the base plates in fixed relation to a railroad tie and to the first and second said plates. 7 4. The combination with two adjacent rail ends each having aweb and a base flange,

of two plates each formed with a base flange engaging the edge face of the base flange of the rail and'with an upwardly and inwardly inclined element adapted for engage ment with the rail web, andtwo base plates each of which is formed with a pair of upwardly and inwardly inclined flanges which are convergent toward the web ofthe rail in a horizontal plane and adapted to be forced upon said plates for binding them tightly Copies of this patent may be obtained 'for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. 0.? 

